The manicure lady spurns the barber and dates a rich cad instead.The manicure lady spurns the barber and dates a rich cad instead.The manicure lady spurns the barber and dates a rich cad instead.
Photos
Edward Dillon
- The Rival
- (as Eddie Dillon)
Charles West
- Waiter
- (as Charles H. West)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaEddie Dillon's car has the monogram 'DWG' on the door. It is D.W.Griffith's car.
- Quotes
Title Card: THE MANICURE LADY - Proving That Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady
Featured review
Early Directed Sennett Movie Shows Beginnings of Brilliant Film Career
Mack Sennett, known later for his Keystone Cops, began as an actor before turning director, starting at Biograph Studios in 1908. Sennett, who had been acting in numerous D.W. Griffith- directed movies, had some experience managing burlesque shows before delving into film. Griffith recognized Sennett's potential behind the camera by the numerous questions Mack asked to him and his cameraman. Since Griffith hated directing comedies and saw Sennett's knack for comedic acting, he asked Mack to direct some light-hearted films the studio had assigned him.
One of Sennett's earliest directed films for Biograph was May 1911's "The Manicure Lady." The viewer today can instantly recognize Sennett's innate ability to frame the shots with comedic elements in mind. Here, the barber (Sennett) is madly in love with his new manicurist. Both are situated opposite sides of the frame while working in the barbershop. This creates a tension between the flirtatious manicurist who warms up to her male customers and the jealous barber who gives scant attention to his clients.
Also, Sennett was familiar with Griffith's cross-cutting techniques, establishing the contrast between the two while eating lunch at separate locations. One can appreciate the potentiality of Sennett's comedic genius here as he begins to understand the intricacies of film direction.
Viewers of early Biograph Studio silent movies may have noticed the "AB" with a circle logo stamped on the studio's walls. AB stood for American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Biograph made sure to place the logo throughout the movie in prominent places. It did this for a reason. Despite copyright laws, unscrupulous domestic, and especially international film companies would copy the movies, slap titles of their own companies' name in front of the movies and claim the films were theirs. Biograph knew these companies couldn't remove the scenes its logo appeared in. In today's digital world the logo placement serves in the same capacity as today's watermarks seen on the corner of videos and newscasts.
One of Sennett's earliest directed films for Biograph was May 1911's "The Manicure Lady." The viewer today can instantly recognize Sennett's innate ability to frame the shots with comedic elements in mind. Here, the barber (Sennett) is madly in love with his new manicurist. Both are situated opposite sides of the frame while working in the barbershop. This creates a tension between the flirtatious manicurist who warms up to her male customers and the jealous barber who gives scant attention to his clients.
Also, Sennett was familiar with Griffith's cross-cutting techniques, establishing the contrast between the two while eating lunch at separate locations. One can appreciate the potentiality of Sennett's comedic genius here as he begins to understand the intricacies of film direction.
Viewers of early Biograph Studio silent movies may have noticed the "AB" with a circle logo stamped on the studio's walls. AB stood for American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Biograph made sure to place the logo throughout the movie in prominent places. It did this for a reason. Despite copyright laws, unscrupulous domestic, and especially international film companies would copy the movies, slap titles of their own companies' name in front of the movies and claim the films were theirs. Biograph knew these companies couldn't remove the scenes its logo appeared in. In today's digital world the logo placement serves in the same capacity as today's watermarks seen on the corner of videos and newscasts.
- springfieldrental
- Mar 15, 2021
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime11 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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